Police officers on probation will now be posted in Naxal-affected regions

As per a proposal from the director general of police’s (DGP) office – that has also been accepted by the state government- police sub inspectors (PSI) and deputy superintendents of police (DySP) of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) will be posted in a naxalite region during their probation period.

Officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) will also be posted in naxal-affected areas after their probation. Naxal-affected regions in the state are currently limited to Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia districts.

A senior official of the state police on the condition of anonymity said that the state government had stopped posting officials on probation in the area after they had managed to curb naxal activities. “However, with the increasing violence it was decided to re-start the old practice,” he said. Explaining the logic behind the decision, he said that most PSIs and DySPs, join the police force when they are in the age group of 22 to 25 years. He further added that after the first posting officers usually get married and thus become reluctant to accept postings and often resign.

While speaking about IPS officials, he said that currently, the maximum that IPS officers can learn during their first posting pertains to paperwork. Being posted in naxal-affected areas will teach officers a lot more about operations.